Wood blocks have been used as toys for children since almost the beginning of recorded history. Such blocks are commonly employed to build various real or imaginary structures. When used in this manner, wood blocks serve to amuse children, but they also serve a more important function. They serve to educate children as to the fundamental rules which must be filled in building many structures.
In order to increase the educational value of toy blocks, it is known to place upon the surfaces of such blocks various types of indicia such as letters, pictures or the like. Theoretically, a child can learn by placing these blocks together in a given order, as in forming words, a complete picture comprised of a plurality of smaller pictures, or the like. Frequently it is, however, difficult for a child to assemble such blocks together in a desired manner due to the fact that no means are provided upon them for holding adjacent block surfaces against one another.
Many efforts have been made at providing toy block structures including such means. With the advent of modern plastic molding techniques, many toy blocks have been manufactured so as to have special shapes which are adapted so that a surface on one block will fit into a corresponding adjacent surface on another block so as to secure the blocks together. It is also been proposed to hold adjacent toy blocks to one another using bar or other magnets located within the blocks themselves. Various types of snap fasteners have also been proposed for this same use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,095,668, issued on July 2, 1963, to C. T. Dorsett, describes a type of magnetic block. In this invention, the blocks are made of a convenient non-magnetic substance, such as wood. Magnetic particles are applied to the surface of the blocks with an appropriate binder. In this invention, the blocks have surfaces which are adapted to be held together through the use of magnetic forces. The coating on at least one of the surfaces of the block is composed of the magnetic particles oriented within the coating so as to achieve a holding action in connection with the magnetic particles on the other surface. This invention requires the orienting of each of the blocks so that the magnetic fields on each of the blocks will be attractive, rather than repulsive.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,893, issued on June 18, 1957, to H. E. Vayo describes a magnetic toy block. The toy blocks, as described in this patent, are molded of a plastic material. The magnets are fastened to the interior of the molded plastic material. Each of the faces of the block has a differing magnetic polarity. As such, it is also necessary with this invention to align the proper faces so as to create the magnetic adhesion.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,939,243, issued on June 7, 1960, to R. G. Duggar, also shows a magnetic toy building block. Each of the building blocks of this invention are made of a plastic material arranged in a cube-like configuration. Each wall of the cube has a magnet mounted on an adjacent interior surface for rotation about an axis intermediate the poles of the permanent magnet. Suitable means are provided for effecting this rotary movement. In this arrangement, when any two sides or faces of any two blocks are brought into abutting relationship, the associated magnets, due to their polarity, will rotate into a position in which the negative pole of one is aligned with the positive pole of the other, and vice versa.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,236,234, issued on Aug. 7, 1917, to O. R. Trojae, shows another type of magnetized toy building block. Each of the building blocks is provided with openings that extend transversely through the block. Fitted within these openings are permanent bar magnets. These magnets extend completely through the block and have ends disposed flush with the sides of the block. The north pole of one of the magnets is disposed on the side adjacent the side at which the south pole of the other magnet is disposed. When another building block of this same construction is disposed adjacent this one, it will be retained in proper position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,479, issued on Mar. 31, 1981, to P. A. Roane shows a series of interrelated sets of tetrahedrone blocks. Each set is capable of assembly into a cube with all of the cubes being identical in size. The tetrahedrones are preferably hollow and each of them has a magnet for each face. This magnet is affixed to the interior walls of its faces. The magnets are polarized so that upon assembly into a cube or pyramid, the magnets of facing faces attract each other.
Unfortunately, with these prior art patents, it becomes very difficult to standardize the construction of the building block. Additionally, random arrangement is not possible, since alignment of magnetic forces must be obtained. Generally, each of these building blocks has a relatively complicated construction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a magnetic building block of relatively simple construction.
Is is another object of the present invention to provide a magnetic building block in which each magnetic block may randomly attach to another magnetic block, without the need for alignment of faces.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a magnetic building block having a safe and easy to use configuration.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.